People with outstanding tickets could face repercussions

The city of Steamboat Springs is targeting people who are on its "scofflaw list," which includes the names of those who have three or more unpaid parking tickets. A "scofflaw" is someone who habitually violates laws.

There are 125 license plate numbers on the list, with total fines ranging from $100 to $1,080. Ninety percent of those plates belong to local residents, Interim City Manager Wendy DuBord said.

The idea of the list has been around for several years, said George Krawzoff, the city's director of transit and transportation services. Once in a while, he said, city officials will pull out the list and focus on enforcement, as they plan to do now.

The city sends letters to people who are on the scofflaw list, and some will receive court summons. Others may get "the boot," which is a device that locks up a car's wheel. People whose cars are booted must call the city and pay a fee -- along with any outstanding fines -- to get the boot removed.

Not paying tickets is a punishment in itself, because fines that are not paid increase, Krawzoff said. "If you ignore them, the problem just gets worse," he said. "That's a shame. We hate to see people in that position."

City officials don't like the business of fining people and booting cars, Krawzoff said.

"You can end up with a hefty bill, and that's not our goal. Our goal is compliance with parking regulations," he said. "We very much prefer not to go out and cost our citizens a lot of money."

The city is willing to work with people who come to City Hall and admit they owe money, Krawzoff said. He said it's possible for the city to set up a payment plan for people who can't pay everything up front.

Those who don't come in or who are booted will have fewer options, Krawzoff said. "We will work with you, but you still need to deal with it," he said.